


edoria

by acentricks



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Knights - Freeform, Magic, Magic Duels, Sacred Trees, Tree of Life, Wizards, bamf female hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 12:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14285082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acentricks/pseuds/acentricks
Summary: the Kingdom of Edoria is a vast land full of powerful magic, and filled with stunning quartz forests. the only problem is the deadly creatures that call the forest there home. in retaliation, humanity created the Varden, three guilds that come together to protect humanity. The knights, the mage, and the Valkyrie. the Varden and the rest of the citizens of Edoria bow before their king and the great life tree the king is bound to. It's time for the next king to bind his magic to the great tree, but an evil cult tries to stop it. It's up to our heroine to stop them.





	edoria

**Author's Note:**

> all right everybody, here is the other story I promised to post. I might go back to change some things or add more. we'll have to see. also, if you haven't read my Merlin fanfic The Awakening, please do!
> 
>  
> 
> (name pronunciation  
> Rún- roon  
> Aurum- orum 
> 
> translation  
> Advenae in hoc invenient omnis locus, et dormire eos faciam- all of my enemies in this room will fall asleep.

Magic to humans has two forms.  For some, it’s like lightning pulsing through you and every living organism. To others, it’s like a fog emanating from everything. Magic is unique to everyone like an aura, and only very skilled magic users can see it. Mine is like the latter. I take a deep breath and send my magic out into the open field I’m sitting in. I adjust the blindfold  so I truly can't see, and let my magic pool around me. I feel its warmth spread out into the field’s cool grass and tall quartz trees. The warm earth-tone auras soothe me into a meditative state. I lazily follow the hazy brown fog of a rabbit when I feel a bush move in front of me. I turn towards that direction confused when my magic flares in warning behind me. I quickly throw a barrier up behind me and hear a crunch. I take off the blindfold to see a shattered quartz dagger a foot behind me. I shake my head and stand up.

“Try harder next time Gavreel.”

A young man appears out of nowhere twenty feet to my right. He slowly walks up to me dismayed, “How can you always feel me coming?”

I smile and place a hand on his shoulder, “You just need practice.”

High pitched bells ring in the distance and I turn to Gavreel, “Go now, or the other Valkyrie will harp on you for being late.”

Gavreel smiles and and pulls his magic into a tattoo on his back, and the violet electricity morphs into the shape of wings. I smile at the tattoo fondly. Valkyrie are given tattoos on their backs that sorcerers imbue with magic to make wings appear when the person calls to them.

“Thanks Rún, for the training.” He takes off and quickly flies to the north.

I sigh and run a hand through my long silver hair. Gavreel is very powerful, but he is still young and impatient. I ponder this a little more when a group of three soldiers run up to me.

“Priestess Rún,” one of the soldiers says while nodding to me, “King Aurum requests your presence immediately.”

I nod and hold out my hands to teleport us all to the throne room. The soldiers shakes his head then steps back. “No my lady, he requests you alone.”

I look at him curiously, but nod in acceptance. The soldiers bow slightly then leave to the south. I close my eyes and think of the throne room. With a loud crack I open my eyes to see the high ceilings made of rainbow quartz and the polished rose quartz floor. One whole wall on the far side of the room is a large window that stretches to the ceiling. Beyond that, you can see a great tree made solely of wood and leaves-- unlike the rest of the land, where most trees have some form of quartz or stone to replace the wood. I turn towards the throne made of pure wood and drop to one knee. I look up to see King Aurum rest on the throne. Behind him are the three leaders of the Varden, the elite defenders of Edoria. I look at the king confusedly before bowing my head in proper etiquette.

“My lord, you have summoned me?”

King Aurum raises his hand and I stand up. He leans forward slightly before saying, “how much do you know of the Renewal of the Life Tree ceremony?”

I stare at him blankly for a second before answering, “Before any ruler takes the throne, they must bind their soul and magic to the Life Tree so it’s power can thrive and maintain the magic that it gives to humanity.” I pause for a moment before continuing. “During the Renewal, the Varden protect the whole event. The Knights protect the people, the Wizard’s Guild protects the future king, and the Valkyrie protect the Life Tree.”

Sir Bedivere, the leader of the Knights, steps forward a bit to speak, “You are correct in all accounts Priestess Rún, but you forgot one fact.”

I look up at him puzzled. There is no other tradition besides the great ball the night before the ceremony, but that’s not really important. I shake out of my thoughts as Bedivere continues, “The future king is given a guardian to protect them until the time of the Renewal.”

Zachariah, the leader of the Valkyrie, clasps his hands together, “You, Priestess Rún, former Valkyrie, have been chosen as the future king Lux’s guardian!” I look at the Varden leaders and the king astonishingly. I’ve only seen the prince three times before. Now they want me to watch him?

“My king I must vehemently object. There are others that are more capable than I for this mission. Perhaps-” The king raises his hand to silence me and I comply.

“ Zachariah and I agree that you are the most powerful in the Varden when it involves magic.” His eyes soften and he smiles, “I remember your sacrifice during my renewal. You gave up your wings to protect me and the Life Tree. I know you will do the same for my son.”

I glance at the leaders of the Varden. All of them are are bearing prideful smiles. Zachariah looks as though he might fly to the ceiling in joy. I take a deep breath and contemplate my choices before exhaling.

I smile and gracefully bow while the inside, I’m groaning. “I’ll do everything in my power to protect the future king my lord.”

The king smiles and motions to Zachariah. His eyes flash a bright blue and a few moments later, a servant comes through a small hidden door.

“He will take you to the prince’s chambers where you will prepare for the ball tonight.” I straighten and tilt my head puzzled.

“I’m sorry my king, but shouldn’t I go to the Varden’s war room?  If I’m going to protect the prince, I’m gonna to plan the protection detail for him.”

The king smiles and shakes his head, “The guardian of the future ruler acts as an escort for them during the ball. Lord Zachariah and Sir Bedivere will direct the rest of the guards. Your only focus is prince Lux.”

I stare at the king, taken aback by his answer. The king laughs heartily and leans back in the throne. “Yes, I remember your disdain for parties. Just stay by his side and you’ll do fine.”

I pull out of my stupor and bow. “As you wish, my king.”

I walk over to the servant and nod for him to lead the way. We walk down the winding halls of the citadel until we reach a large set up double doors. The young boy knocks on the door and the prince’s servant opens the door slightly to look at the both of us. I step closer to the door and state my purpose. “I’m priestess Arthura. The king sent me to be Lux’s escort for the ball tonight.”

The man nods and opens the door wider to let me in. I turn to dismiss the young servant who escorted me here and step inside. The antechamber is large and warmly lit. A polished stone fireplace sits in the center and has an oil fire lit inside it emanating warmth. The circular room is made of dark morion quartz to make it feel even warmer. The servant motions me to a small couch across from the fireplace, and I take a seat. He turns around and walks through a different door. I look at the antechamber and notice there aren’t any windows in the room. It's probably for the prince’s safety. The lack of sunlight gives this room an eerie feel. I’m shaken from my thoughts, when the door the servant went through opens and a handmaid comes to meet me. She wears healer robes of starch white, and her graying blonde hair is tied tightly into an intricate bun.

She bows deeply and smiles at me when she rises, “Please madam, right this way.”

I stand up and follow the maid into a room similar to the prior one with only a few differences. Instead of the stone fireplace being in the center, it’s along the west wall, so it’s warm oil fire lights only half of the room. The other half of the room is lit by small oil lamps scattered around the room. Along the east wall is a large king-size bed, with a bedpost bed made of obsidian and onyx. Thick fur blankets and fluffy pillows lay on top of cream colored sheets. The southern wall opens up into a small alcove full of clothing. This is where the prince stands in elegant finery most likely for the ball. A few servants are walking around him, altering the clothes on him  to fit better. The maid motions me forward, so I slowly creep up to the prince. The last time I saw him was when he was a little boy. Now that he’s become of age, he looks almost like a carbon copy of the king. He is tall and has a muscular build. His ivory skin is slightly tanned but is still quite light. The hair on the sides of his head is shaved, while on top of his head there are dark brown curls styled elegantly. His sharp jawline gives him a rough look, but his slight nose smooths it out.

I bow deeply towards him and announce myself, “Good afternoon prince Lux. I am priestess Rún. I was sent here as-.”

The prince turns to me and swiftly holds his hand up. I stare at him awkwardly, but silently. He turns to servants and motions them to leave. When they do leave, he walks over to me and stares intently. I look back at him emotionlessly, but inside I’m curious. His chestnut eyes scrutinize me. He slowly starts to walk around me as if looking for something.

When he makes his way around, he clasps his hands behind his back and smiles. “Yes, she will do fine for tonight.” He pauses and motions for the handmaid that let me in to come forward. “She will need to cut and dye her hair though. That silver makes her look old.” I stare at the prince in disbelief. He should know that wizards and Valkyrie have longer lifespans than normal humans. The only similarity is that our hair fades in color around the same age. “Rún was it?” I pull away from my thoughts and nod. “Through that door, there is your chambers for the rest of your time with me. Change your hair to a suitable color for one your age. A dress for you for tonight will be placed in your room later.” The maid escorts me through the door and into a light airy bedroom made of white marble. A complete contrast to the other rooms.

She closes the door behind us and sighs. “Thank The gods that ended well.” I turn to her confused beyond all belief. “Well, madam shall we get ready?” She motions towards a vanity and chair and I take a seat at it. She takes a cloth and wraps it around my neck before grabbing a pair of scissors. “How long do you think is acceptable madam? And what color would you like as well?” I stare at myself in the mirror a moment thinking. My face is a kind of oval shape with very defined cheekbones. My emerald irises are defined by my upturned eyes. My nose looks defined but is a little close to my somewhat full lips that look bright pink against my pale skin.

I pull at my soft silvery hair and sigh. “What do you propose… I’m sorry I don’t recall learning your name.”

The maid smiles and dips her head in a subtle bow. “My name is Helena, and are you sure about that?” I nod hesitantly. Helena smiles and holds the scissors to my head. I hold my breath as she takes the first cut and relaxes after that. When she’s all done I look up to see my hair is shoulder length now, and chocolate brown. I look into the mirror with sorrow.

“I’m sorry, do you not like it?”

I look into the mirror to see Helena frowning. “The Valkyrie and Wizards Guild ranks your wisdom based on your hair color, because it’s hard to tell our age apart. My hair hasn’t been this dark in sixty years.” Helena looks at me a little startled, probably because of my age, but graces her face with a sympathetic smile soon after. A knock on the door pulls Helena away to answer the door. Three servants and the prince walk in with a mannequin. On it is a dress made of deep blue silk. It is strapless with a sweetheart neckline and a plunging back. The bottom of the dress has gold lines going up towards the bodice like tree branches. The skirt of the dress itself is full due to the many layers of tulle underneath it. I look at the nonexistent back of the dress and turn to the prince. “I can’t wear this.”

The smug look on his face drops and is replaced with one of annoyance. “Of course you can. Why wouldn’t you?”

 I sigh and cross my arms. “Fist of all, the dress has no back and I’m not comfortable with that. Second, I’m here to protect you, if there's an attack, I won’t be able to fight in this dress.” The prince laughs at me. I’m starting to think this prince is clueless.

“Who would attack me?” I look at him astonished. Definitely clueless.

I stand up tall to try and make myself look older now that I look fifteen. “Who would attack you? What about the Order of the Beasts? The whole reason we have the Varden in the first place!” The Order of the Beasts is a group of people that believe humans shouldn’t have magic, and monsters should rule Edoria. “It’s my mission to protect you. Not be your date to some stupid party.” The prince looks at me appalled, and I groan internally. “I apologize, your highness, I was out of place.” The prince looks at me confused but schools his face into a calm smile.

He raises his hand and shakes his head. “No, you’re right. I got carried away. I’ll come back with something more suitable for you to wear.” He motions for the servants to follow with the dress. Before he walks out he turns to me and smiles. “Oh and Rún? Call me Lux.” I stare at him surprised as he leaves. I look at Helena confused and she shrugs in response.

“He’s just stressed about the coronation.” I nod and walk over to the bed. I lie down on the soft downy and sigh. These beds are way nicer than the Varden’s. I lie there for an hour when Lux returns. It’s the same dress as before except now it has sleeves, a back, and a gold belt.

Lux looks at me and smiles. “With a bit of magic, the dress will now transform into armor.” I smile back at him in thanks. “I’ll be back in a few hours for the ball. He turns around and leaves the room quickly. Helena spends the next few hours getting me ready. When Lux returns to the room, my hair is in an intricate knot on top of my head, what feels like five pounds of makeup is on my face, and I’m balancing precariously on five-inch heels. The prince holds out his arm for me to grasp, and together, we head for the ball. When we enter the ballroom, I look around in awe. The room is made out of many different gemstones ranging from bright topazes to dark garnets. Hanging from the ceiling is a giant crystal chandelier in the shape of a rose. Below that are many people dressed in finery talking excitedly about tomorrow . Lux leads us through the crowd to the end of the room where King Aurum rests on a less ornate throne than the one in the throne room.

The king smiles and stands, silencing everyone in the room. “Tonight, we celebrate the life of our kingdom, long may the kingdom of Edorea live!” The king sits again, and Lux leads me to the center of the room.

I look around alarmed and lean in towards Lux. “What are we doing?”

He smiles and raises his right hand. “The first dance of course.” My eyes widen at this revelation and the prince chuckles quietly at my reaction. “Have you ever danced before? The way you’re looking at me makes  me think no.” I frown at him and place my hand on his shoulder. The prince smirks as he grabs my waist and free hand. Together, we glide around the room to the sound of strings instruments. When the song ends, we walk to the edge of the dance floor to rest. “You’re actually a really good dancer.” I snort in annoyance. “Well, at least your dancing makes up for your personality.” I look up at Lux, irritated that even though I’m in five-inch heels he’s still a few inches taller than me, and stare into his chestnut eyes.

“You really don’t know how serious this is, do you? The fate the whole country rests on you.

The prince smiles and laughs. “Well, then I better have my fun now.” He grabs my hand to lead me back to the dance floor when several loud cracks are heard through the room. Everything happens at once. Dozens of men and women wearing beast masks run around the room attacking people, while Knights and Valkyrie rush to defend them. Several of the intruders spot Lux and make a run for him. I pull him behind me and force my magic into the dress. My eyes flash gold and the dress instantly morphs into light leather armor. I look down at my new get up dismayed, but ignore it as the men get too close to my liking. I force my magic at them and they do flying. I grab Lux’s hand and race to the back of the room where the king is being protected. I pull Lux next to the king and turn to the crowd.

I raise my hands above my head and start to shout incantations. “Advenae in hoc invenient omnis locus, et dormire eos faciam!” All of the mask-wearing intruders fall to the ground unconscious. The Varden quickly materialize restraints and incapacitate the intruders. I turn to the royals and dip into a bow. “Your orders your majesty?”

The king straightens his robes and looks at Lux briefly before returning his focus to me. “Take the prince to his chambers while we secure the rest of the citadel.” I stand up and bow.

Lux looks to the king astonished. “But father!” The king raises his hand and Lux stops speaking. I grab Lux’s hand and drag him out of the room. We run down hallways and up stairs to Lux’s chambers. When we get inside, I lock the main door with magic and usher Lux into his room. He moves to sit on the edge of the bed while I lock the door.

“That should do it,” I say confidently and turn to the prince to see him staring at the fireplace annoyed. I walk over to him and sit on the floor. I kick off the wretched heels and stretch my toes out.

Lux looks at me for a moment. “Most of the Varden had grey hair. Why is that?”

I look at him confused. “Lux, most of the wizards and Valkyrie are at least fifty.”

The prince looks at me with wide eyes. “Your hair, it was white from age, not style?” I laugh at him and shake my head.

“It’s a symbol of my wisdom and age.” Lux nods in understanding.

He turns to me, bows his head, and puts left fist on his forehead. “I apologize for disrespecting you and your ways, priestess Arthura.”

I smile and mirror him. “I accept.” Lux straightens up and smiles.

He looks up at the ceiling and sighs. “I hate when this happens.” I look at him surprised to see he is more frustrated than bored. “Whenever there’s an attack I get locked up somewhere while my father stays and fights. I will be king tomorrow, I should have stayed.”

I grab his shoulder softly.“Lux-” I’m cut off by a knock at the door and we both hastily stand up. Lux moves to open, but I stopped him. I point towards the back wall and he moves to stand against it. I walk over to the door and push my magic through the door. I feel the chilly blue electricity of Zachariah and sigh. I unlock the door and open it. The leader of the Valkyrie steps into the room out of breath. “Lord Zachariah, is the Citadel secure?”

He looks at me and smiles.  “Yes, it is. I was sent here to escort prince Lux back to the throne room.” I stare at him an edge. His magic is slowly lurking around the room like he's trying to hide it from me. I pull my magic out in a similar manner and notice his magic is very unstable, sparking every so often.

“Lord Zachariah,” I call out to him warily. “If the citadel is secure, then why is your magic in an offensive stance?” his magic freezes and starts shooting out random bolts. His eyes widen in surprise and he starts laughing.

His magic spikes closer to Lux, so I form an invisible wall between the two. “I should have known you could sense my magic even when it was hidden. You were the most powerful Valkyrie. It’s too bad you had that very unfortunate accident, you would have become the leader of the Valkyrie if that didn’t happen.” my magic reveals itself fora moment and he smiles. “Protecting the prince,” Zachariah cackles menacingly. Just like you did to the king during his renewal. I have to say that was a fun day for me and my colleagues. It was so easy burning your wings while you defended the king. I only wish I got the king too, then we would not have to deal with his spoiled brat.

I look at with deep rage and fear. “It was you?” my magic flares again with my wild emotions. “You’re the one who ruined my life? You’re a traitor! You side with beasts over your own brothers and sisters!” My magic threatens to attack him, but I school it into a defensive stance.

The Valkyrie scowls. “Humanity is the traitor. It steals the magic of the great Life Tree and uses it for its own benefit.” his magic moves closer to me, his icy lightning shooting at my golden fog, making a sickly green color every now and then. I glance back at Lux and see his eyes are as big as saucers. He’s shaking in fear while plastering himself on the far wall in an attempt to get away from the soon to be fight. I turn back to Zachariah and start to strategize. Zachariah is standing in front of the door, so going that way is a no and of course there aren’t any windows! I probably could beat him combat and for sure in a magic duel, but some of the aftermath could hurt Lux. Right now, all of my magic is focused on protecting the prince. This is good for him, but I’m vulnerable in this position. So, I split my magic in half. One half staying by Lux in an invisible barrier, while the second half swirls around me, changing from spikes to a thick fog on and off. I center all of my feelings into the magic around me, so the shield around Lux stays hidden.

I take a deep breath and calmly speak, “You’re wrong Zachariah. The Life Tree helps us thrive, and we keep it safe.” I wait in anticipation for Zachariah’s remark.

“Keep it safe?” he snarls, his magic getting too close for my comfort. “All you do is lock it in a cage never to be seen unless you need it. The Order of the Beasts will free it.”  

I take a step closer to him. “So, you’ll free it by killing it?”

Zachariah’s lips curl into a terrifyingly wicked smile. “If that’s what it takes.” he releases his magic and sends me flying across the room. I slam into the back wall, smacking my head into the hard stone. I stand up and try to retaliate, but without my full force of magic, I’m not strong enough. Zachariah wraps his magic around me and hardens it, making it impossible for me to move. His eyes flash blue, and his magic tightens around me, slowly suffocating me in its vice grip. He walks past me while pulling out a long quartz dagger and moves towards Lux. the prince tries to get away from Zachariah but gets trapped in a similar bind that I’m in. Lux’s eyes widen in fear he watches the dagger draw closer to his heart. I start to panic and, in a fit of desperation, release the full force of my magic. I scream as my eyes flash gold. A bright light blinds us and with a loud crack, I teleport.

When I land, I bend over and inhale deeply. When I catch my breath, I look up to see I’m surrounded by forests. I quickly scan the forest looking for the prince. “Lux?” I shakily get up and look around more. “Lux, are you here?” All I hear is the endless calls of monsters. “Dammit! I actually make a decent escape, but of course, I leave the one thing I had to fricken protect!” A light appears in the distance, with a soft warm glow that puts me at ease. I shake my head and ignore the stupid creature that’s trying to kill me. I spread my magic out in the hopes of finding a trace of the prince. The golden smoke moves across the dark forest floor until it encircles something. I make my way to the invisible object and hold my hand over it “Secreta revelare.” My magic shivers as it feels the force of my words, and it flows over the mass revealing the unconscious form of Lux. “Oh thank the stars you’re alive,” I sigh and drop to the ground next to the sleeping prince.

I place my hand on his forehead and whisper into his ear, “resipisco.”

Lux bolts up with a yelp and launches himself off the ground. “What? Where are we?” He turns to me and looks like he just battled a dragon. “What did you do?”

I laugh at him and stand up. “I woke you up” I pull my hair behind my ears, it fell out of the bun after Zachariah attacked, and stand in front of Lux. “I guess I could’ve used a better word. Resipisco is used more for drunk people. I probably should’ve used evoco.” I laugh quietly as Lux stares at me angrily.

“Where are we anyway?” He asks curtly.

I look up at the treetops and sigh. “We’re about ten leagues away from Vidre, in the middle of the Nubilus Forest. It should take us half a day to reach the city, and an hour or two to get through the city and to the citadel.”

Lux looks at me surprised. “How did we get so far from the capital?”

“Well,” I start, “My magic reacted to my emotions. I was scared you’d be killed and I wanted to take you far away from Zachariah.” When I utter the traitor's name voice cracks. I reach behind me and feel the scars beneath the soft leather of my armor.

“Zachariah said you were once a Valkyrie,” Lux asks me slowly and carefully. “What happened?”

I sigh and look at the sky to see the sun in the center of the sky. “We should move.” I start walking north. Lux trails behind me without saying a word. We walk for an hour when he stops me.

“Arthura, what is that?” I turn to see the small light that I saw earlier.

“It’s just a Hinkypunk. It won’t hurt us unless we follow it.” I change my direction to the opposite of the Hinkypunk’s and continue on.

Lux rin’s to catch up with me. “What is a Hinkypunk?”

I look at him strangely before answering. “It’s a monster that leads lost travelers deep in the woods to a creek or pond to drown them.” Lux’s eyes widen in fear and I question this. “Lux do you know anything about this forest?” Lux shakes his head and I stare at him awestruck. “How is that possible? Everyone is taught the dangers of the forest since birth so they don’t do what stupid kids do and try to venture into monster territory alone.”

Lux stares straight ahead and shrugs. “I wasn’t really taught anything like that. I was taught how to maintain the Life Tree and how to run the country in the safety of the citadel. The king never really leaves, so there isn’t a need to know about dangers we will never cross.” He glances at me quickly before staring straight ahead again.

I look at him with sorrow. “Lux, do you even know what the Varden is?”

He turns around and looks at me Incredulously. “There just special soldiers, right?”

I shake my head and breath in deeply. “The knights honor chivalry above all and protect the outer villages and towns from beast attacks. The wizards guild is where magic users come together to help the knights protect the outer villages, and help the people of Edorea any way they can. The Valkyrie is the most powerful of all the Varden, they protect the royal family and the Life Tree. They also fight monsters that can’t be beaten by the wizards guild or the knights.”

Lux frowns and slows down a bit. “There is so much I don’t understand. I've been sheltered my whole life to the point where I have never even been outside the citadel.” I turn to him shocked. He laughs grimly. “Crazy right? What’s even crazier is that I was contempt with that life.”

I tilt my head curiously. “And now?”  

Lux pauses for a minute before answering me. “I’m not so sure.”

We walk in the forest in silence for a while before Lux’s curiosity got the better of him. I then spend the next five hours telling him anything and everything I know. His last question sends me reeling.

“Are you going to kill Zachariah?” He asks me.

I stutter slightly before continuing on. “I’ll do what I must.”

Lux lowers his questioning gaze to me. “You still haven’t told me why you're a wizard.”

I sigh and turn to look at him. “It happened long before you were born. I was one of the youngest knights to ever become a Valkyrie. I was a very powerful sorceress, and very skilled in normal combat. When it was time for Aurum’s Renewal ceremony, I was chosen to be one of the valkyries protecting the tree. The whole ceremony went perfectly until Aurum started to fuse with the Life Tree. That’s when the Beasts attacked. Everyone was busy protecting the world tree from the sky to notice a masked man running at Aurum from the ground. So, I dived down and shielded him from a bright blue blast of fire. It got through my defenses though and destroyed my wing tattoo. They ended up retreating and my wings couldn’t be healed. So, when the Renewal ended, I left the Valkyrie and joined the wizards guild instead.” Lux grabs my shoulder in sympathy before moving on.

When we finally see Vidre’s outer wall, I sigh in relief. The forest starts to taper off, morphing into a flower-covered field  Lux looks upon the mass of flowers in awe and I have to lead him to the wall. We start walking around the edge of it when we see a worn path coming from the castle and trails into the forest.

Lux looks at me annoyed. “Why didn’t we take the path?”

I roll my eyes and point to the forest entrance where four faint lights can be seen. “Monsters aren’t stupid Lux.” The prince nods and moves behind me slightly. As we reach the entrance of the outer wall, I notice that the guards there have been holding up a flier. “Adspicio.” My eyes flash gold and I can clearly see the flier. The picture is of me when my hair was long and sliver. Below my photo is a warning of a traitor?  I quickly deactivate the spell and turn to Lux. “Transvorto.” His eyes lighten to a bright blue, while his hair turns blonde and grows to his shoulders. A short untamed beard sprouts from his once smooth chin. I tap my head as well and alter my bone structure to look have a straighter jaw and wide set eyes. my eyes lighten as well to a faded gray. As we walk to the entrance, I grab Lux’s arm. We stand in front of the guard and wait.

“State your business.” the guard asked curtly. I smile and pull on Lux’s shirt.  

He shakes out of his stupor and smiles as well. “Well my younger sister and I are going to visit our brother.”

The guard looks at us curiously before glancing at the flier. “and your brother’s name is?”

Lux falters, but I quickly step in to help. “Our brother’s name is Gavreel. He’s a warrior valkyrie.”

The guard looks at the flier again before nodding to us. “Carry on.” He steps aside and together, Lux and I enter Vidre.

Before we go too far, I turn around to the guard. “Sir,” I ask politely. the guard turns around to look at me. “Why are you looking for that lady?”

The guard looks back at the flier then to me. “She killed the leader of the Valkyrie, Lord Zachariah, and almost killed the prince.” I stare at the guard awestruck. The guard laughs and pats my head. “Worry not young one, the prince is safe and is currently getting ready for the Renewal ceremony.”

I snap out of my stupor and smile. “Thank you, sir!” The guard smiles back and returns to his post. I grab Lux’s hand and race through the throng of people get as far away from the gate as possible. When we get far enough I stop and bend over, trying to control my breathing.

Lux places a hand on my back. “Why do they think Zachariah’s dead?” I stand up and look around. The outer ring is mostly training areas for the knights and the barracks. I grab Lux’s hand and quickly move towards the second wall. The guard there easily lets us through. The next ring is full of factories and workshops. We walk past smithies, quartz carvers, weavers, and all kinds of artisans.

When we get to the next wall I turn to Lux. “When we left, Zachariah must have changed into you.”

“Why would he do that?” Lux asks quietly to avoid the ears of bystanders.

I think for a moment. “If he is you right now, he has easy access to the Life Tree during the ceremony. He could easily poison the tree in his position.” Lux looks at me fearfully.

I grab his hand and his shoulder. “I won’t let that happen.” I look at the wall. “Come on, we still have to get to through the resident's ring.” Lux nods and we quickly pass the guard and into the next ring of the city. Finely made houses of a plethora of quartz neatly line the stone paths, and dotted in between them are stalls selling fine fabric or jewelry. Lux slows down to look at all of the fineries around him, but I pull him and we move on. We make it to the next gate, but I stop him for a moment

I grab his hand and whisper, “caecus.” We slowly disappear from everyone. I lean closer to Lux’s ear. “Don’t let go.” We sneak past the guard and make our way to the other side of the center circle. The rainbow quartz of the citadel casts a shadow across the rest of the innermost ring. I focus on my room in the citadel, and with a crack, we appear in the pink quartz room. I let go of Lux, and we slowly appear to each other.

He looks at me and the room puzzled. “So, what’s the plan?”

I sit on the bed and cross my legs under me. “We wait for the ceremony to start.”

Lux looks at me incredulously. “What? We have to go to my father now!” He turns around a and heads for the marble doors.

“Stop.” I grab his arm and drag him to the bed. “Right now the whole kingdom thinks that I’m a traitor. If they see me with you now, Zachariah will convince them it’s a trick and kill us.”

Lux slumps onto the bed and crosses his arms. “What do we do now?”

I point to the bed. “You rest for your coronation, my prince.” I do a mock bow and snicker.

“As you wish, Lady Rún.” I tear up at the sound of my former title and sit on the bed. Lux scoots back to the pillows and closes his eyes. When his breath evens out, I slide off the bed and quietly cast the invisibility spell on myself. I sneak out of the room and cast a charm so only I can open the door. I picture my room in the wizards keep and with a crack, I appear in it. The room appears to have been ransacked. The. Varden must’ve been looking for any treasonous materials. Look around the small room and sigh at all of the broken furniture. I fight the urge to fix it and make my way to the far wall. I crouch down to the tiles and coax my magic into the cracks. The stones separate to show a long compartment hidden from any view. I pull out polished silver armor and a long wooden bow. The bow is intricately carved and was given to me the day I lost my wings. I stroke the wood fondly and set it on the ground. I stand up and take the flimsy blue leather tunic off and replace it with the silver breastplate and bracers. I sigh at the open back of the chest plate and I’m thankful for the long sleeve shirt underneath.  I dig into the cubby hole and pull out my knee-high silver boots. I slide those on and smile at the warmth. When I look in the compartment I carefully pull out a long crimson red cloak with a picture of a silver phoenix on the back of it. I clip the cloak on and smile at the familiar weight. I replace the stones and sling the bow over my back. I teleport to the back of Lux’s room and go to a chest in the far corner the chest has the crest of all of the Varden in it. I open the chest and smile when I find it’s full of armor. I slam the chest closed and drag it into the other room. I slam the door closed and Lux bolts out the bed and into a weak fighting stance. I laugh and kick a foot out so he goes tumbling. He gets right back up and looks around the room. It’s then I realize that I’m still invisible I tap my forehead and appear in front of the prince. Startled, he falls back and lands in a heap on the floor. I smile amusingly and hold a hand out to him. He begrudgingly takes it and I haul him off the floor. He looks at my armor in silent appreciation and looks to my right to see his chest. He walks over to it and tries to open it, but it stays sealed. I walk over to it and open it easily. I look at the prince puzzled before wrapping my magic around the chest. An icy blue aura seeps out of the lock and I pull out my magic. Lux shrugs and looks into the chest to find black armor made of a metal I've never seen in my long life. He pulls out a hauberk, breastplate, back-plate, bracers, and boots all made of the same strange metal. Beneath them is a long broadsword, made of the same metal, and a deep blue cape with a golden tree similar to the one on the dress I wore the night before. I help him put on the armor and clip the cape on the hauberk.

When I take a step back I stare in awe at Lux. “You actually look like a king.” Lux smiles and sheaths the sword in the scabbard on his breastplate.

He looks up at me with no smile on his face, but the strong face of a king. “What’s your plan?”

I walk up to him and pull the bow off my back. “You’re going to interrupt the ceremony and expose Zachariah for traitorous bastard he is.”

Lux nods but looks at me curiously. “What will you do?”

I pull the bow back and pretend to shoot an arrow. “I’ll be hidden. If they don’t believe you, I shoot him. If he takes one step against you, I kill him. It's simple.” Lux nods and together, we march out of his chambers. We walk through the hallways of the citadel and stop in front of large doors made of solid wood. I place a hand on Lux’s shoulder and smile. “Good luck.” I turn around and with a crack, I appear in the rafters of the large alcove. The alcove widens to an open garden where the Life Tree rests. People crowd around the base of it as Zachariah, who looks like Lux, walks toward the tree. He is just about to touch the tree when the real Lux crashes through the doors. The room falls silent and Zachariah turns around astonished to see the real prince.

“That man is an impostor!” Lux shouts to the crowd. King Aurum steps forward to witness the event. Lux steps toward the tree and Zachariah. “That is Lord Zachariah in disguise. He lied about his death to cover up his failed assassination of me and priestess Rún.” the crowd murmurs in confusion until the king raises his hand. I hold the bow up and aim it at Zachariah’s heart.

“What proof do you have?” the king calls with divine authority. Lux stands there helpless as the Varden slowly close in on him. I fuse my magic into the bow to form a golden arrow of smoke. I aim the arrow at Zachariah and let it fly. The magic shoots into Zachariah’s heart and he collapses to the ground. His body morphs to appear like his normal self. The entire room stares in disgust at Zachariah. Lux steps over him and makes his way to the Life Tree. He stands at the base of the tree and places his hands on the trunk. His eyes flash a bright red and the tree begins to glow at the same time. While this is going on Zachariah wakes up and staggers toward the tree.

“NO!” I scream and jump off the rafter. My magic cushions my fall and I make a mad dash towards the traitor. I slam him into the ground and punch him square in the jaw. He pushes me off and sends ice spikes at me. I quickly heat the air around me to melt them. When I clear them away, I pull out the bow and shoot an arrow of magic towards him. Zachariah pulls a barrier to stop the arrow, but my magic shatters it and pierces his stomach with a sickening squelch. He looks down at the wound gushing blood and forces his last bit of magic at Lux. I quickly leap in front of it and I’m shot across the room and against the tree. My eyes flash a bright gold and the tree grows brighter. I feel the warm embrace of pure magic. It holds me and coaxes my magic to form by wings. I stare at the tattered golden wings, when I feel a strong sense of pity that isn’t mine. All of a sudden, excruciating pain radiates from my back as bones form and feathers and muscles cover them. I scream for what feels like an eternity until thankfully, the pain stops. When the pain stops,I float in the deep emptiness numb from the pain. For a while, I accept my fate of forever floating, then I see a bright red light coming towards me. It makes me feel safe and calm. The like grabs me and pulls me away from the nothingness. I come back to reality by falling back into something soft. I stand up and see what the Life Tree has gifted me. Large gold colored wings trail behind me. My eyes widen when I touch and actually feel the soft downy feathers covering them. I expand them and feel the air flow past them when I flap. When I finally notice the crowd watching Lux and me, I panic a little. I take a deep breath and walk over to Aurum. I bow and smile widely

King Aurum returns the smile. “Nice wings.”

I laugh and stand up. “May I?” The king nods and bows his head. I take the intricately woven wood crown and return to Lux’s side. I slowly place the crown on his head, Then I turn towards the waiting crowd. “May I Introduce your new king, Lux of Edoria.” The crowd stands and starts cheering.

Lux turns to me and smiles. “As my first decree, I will introduce Lady Rún, Leader of the Valkyrie.” I turn to Lux surprised. He just smiles and raises my hand in his. Together we look out into the crowd of people and I truly smile for the first time in years.

**Author's Note:**

> so, my evil teacher gave me a C for this. let me know if you agree! Please help me figur out tags to add!


End file.
